Reviving Our Lost Relationship with God
The essence of material existence is characterized by a deep forgetfulness of the soul's eternal, loving connection with the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the living entity has been wandering through various species of life, entirely distracted by the temporary complexities of material nature. However, achieving the human form offers a rare and profound opportunity to correct this fundamental mistake. The ultimate goal of all Vedic knowledge, as confirmed in texts like Bhagavad-gītā 15.15, is simply to reawaken this dormant consciousness. By engaging in the process of devotional service, or bhakti-yoga, conditioned souls can successfully reestablish their lost relationship with God, thereby finding the permanent satisfaction they have been searching for lifetime after lifetime.
Teachings Overview:
The primary teachings emphasize that human life is specifically designed for spiritual realization rather than material advancement. True yoga, the essence of the Vedic scriptures, and the highest welfare work all converge on one single objective: reviving the forgotten, eternal relationship between the soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Key Teachings
- Material existence is defined by our forgetfulness of our eternal bond with Kṛṣṇa.
- The human form of life is the unique juncture where this relationship can be revived.
- Genuine yoga means to link back up with the Supreme Father.
- Spiritual preaching is the highest welfare activity for a suffering human society.
The Misguided State of Forgetfulness
The conditioned souls in the material world are currently suffering because they have severed their consciousness from the Supreme. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that this fundamental forgetfulness is the root cause of all material problems and misdirected societal leadership.
Forgetfulness of Our Eternal Bond
"At the present status of our life we have not only forgotten the Supreme Lord, but also we have forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord."
"There is a great need of awakening this Krsna consciousness all over the world because people, being lost of this consciousness, are creating only problems of life."
Śrīla Prabhupāda warns against the problems of material life.
"The leaders of society, despite all their materialistic plans, are misleaders, for they have no plan to revive our lost relationship with the Lord."
Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies the failure of materialistic leaders.
"We are giving you your lost relationship, which you are searching out life after life."
The Unique Purpose of Human Life
Unlike lower species, a human being is endowed with the intelligence required to understand spiritual science. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that failing to utilize this unique opportunity for reestablishing our spiritual connection is a great tragedy.
Utilizing Human Intelligence
"The civilized form of human life is meant for man's reviving the lost consciousness of his eternal relation with the Supreme Truth, the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, who is all-powerful."
"Human life is especially meant for reviving our lost relationship with God by following the instructions of God contained in religious books like the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc."
"Even an intelligent class of men may be forgetful in their relation with the Lord. The whole bhakti-yoga process is therefore a revival of the lost relation. This revival is possible in the human form of life."
"Whoever loses this chance (of reviving the lost consciousness of his eternal relation with the Supreme Truth, the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, who is all-powerful) is classified as a naradhama."
Yoga as the Process of Reconnection
The word yoga literally means to connect or link up. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes that while there are various paths of yoga, their ultimate and factual purpose is to revive the soul's lost loving relationship with the Supreme Lord.
The True Meaning of Yoga
"Our real purpose of life is to become yogi. Yogi means to reestablish our connection, our lost connection, with God. At the present moment, in our material condition, we have forgotten our relationship, our eternal relationship with Krsna."
"Bhakti-yoga, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga - there are different names of yogas - but actual fact is how to link up our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is called yoga. Yoga indriya-samyamah."
"This verse (SB 2.3.17) indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service."
Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages the acceleration of devotional service.
"If you want success of your life, then try to achieve your lost loving relationship with God. Then your life is successful."
The Ultimate Welfare Work and Purpose of Scriptures
The Supreme Father provides Vedic knowledge to guide His wandering children back home. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that distributing this knowledge is therefore the most vital contribution one can make to human society.
True Benefit for Humanity
"The Supreme Father does not forget His rebellious sons. He creates scriptures for them like the Vedas and Puranas in order to revive their lost relationship with Him and awaken their divine consciousness."
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the compassionate nature of the Supreme Lord.
"Sanatana term is very important. The living entity is sanatana, God is sanatana, the spiritual world is sanatana, and the process by which your lost relationship with God established and you go back to home, back to Godhead, that is called sanatana-dharma."
"The motto of preaching shall always be aimed at the ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is to re-establish our lost relation with Godhead who is the Absolute Whole, and we all living entities are His parts and parcels."
Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes the goal of spiritual preaching.
"There are so many welfare activities in the human society. People open hospitals, schools, colleges, charitable institution. They are nice. But the best contribution to the human society is to revive his lost relationship with God."
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is human life considered superior to other forms of life?
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that only the human form offers the unique opportunity to revive our lost spiritual connection.
What is the actual definition and goal of yoga?
Śrīla Prabhupāda defines a true yogi as one whose main aim is to reestablish their lost connection with the Supreme.
Are material welfare activities the best way to help society?
While recognizing their value, Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that reviving humanity's lost relationship with God is the ultimate welfare activity.
What is the main objective of preaching?
Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that all preaching must aim strictly at helping living entities reestablish their lost connection with the Absolute Whole.
Conclusion
The fundamental necessity of the human condition is to awaken from the illusion of material existence and revive our lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda tirelessly taught that true peace, success, and the perfection of yoga can only be realized when the living entity reconnects with Śrī Kṛṣṇa through devotional service. By making this revival the central focus of our lives, we can achieve the ultimate spiritual liberation and return back home, back to Godhead.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
This article is a focused summary of teachings found in the Vaniquotes category Lost Relationship with God. We invite readers to study the full compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings in their direct, verbatim form.